Quilting-frame



t e e h S m. e e h S 5 RE A R HF Mm H EL m U0 q d 0 M o W Patented July 16, 1889.

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QUILTING FRAME.

No. 406,929. Patented July 16, 1889.

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QUILTING FRAME. No. 406,929. Patented July 16, 18 9..

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U. E. MILLER. QUILTING FRAME.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URIAII E. MILLER, OF IIEILIGS MILL, NORTH CAROLINA.

QUlLTlNG-FRAM E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,406,929, dated July 16, 1889.

Application filed October 81, 1887- Serial No. 253,871. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, I RIAH E. MILLER, of IIeiligs Mill, in the county of Rowan and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Quilting Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to quilting attachments forsewing-machines; and it has for its object to provide such an attachment which may be readily connected and disconnected from the sewing-machine, which will be easy to handle and efficient in its operation.

It consists in a certain peculiar arrange ment and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved attachment. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof. Figs. El and 5 are end views of the same. Figs. 6, 7, and S are detail views thereof. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing one end of the roller G and its connection to the bracket F.

My invention consists, essentially, of two frames A O, one of which A forms the bed or fixed frame, which is attached to the sewingmachine table. The frame A consists of the longitudinal track-beams A A and the crosspieces A The central portion of the beam A, between the central cross-pieces A is cut away, as at a", said portions being connected at their upper faces by a thin metal strip to, leaving a space (Z. The beam A is also cut away, as at (1, directly opposite the cutaway portion (Z in the beam A By this construction it will be seen that the frame A may be readily slipped in place upon the machine-table into proper position for operation. In applying the said frame to the sewing-machine table the same is arranged transversely across the machine-table. The metal strip a is slid under the presser-foot of the machine, the cutaway portions of the frame being of a distance equal to the width of the sewing-machine table. The frame A is then securely held in position by clamp brackets f, provided with set-serews which bind against the lower rear edge of the sewing-machine table,

the forward end of said frame being supported upon legs K, having adjustable feet L, whereby the height of said legs may be regulated to machine-tables of various heights, said feet L being adapted to rest upon the floor.

In the upper face of the beam A is formed a longitudinal groove a, which forms a track for a purpose hereinafter described. To the outer face of said beam and near its rear end is j ournaled a wheel or pulley B, formed with a central circular recess 1), in which recess is disposed a coiled spring I), one end of which is secured to the pulley B, while its opposite end is secured to a short shaft b, projecting from the side of the beam A and upon which shaft the wheel B is journaled. One end of a cord If is secured to the outer periphery of said pulley, the outer free end of which is provided with a hook c, which is connected to the frame for the purpose presently explained.

0 denotes the traveling frame, which consists of the longitudinal bars 1 2 and the curved cross-bars 3 &. One end of the bar 1 is stopped short of the cross-bar 3 and is connected with said bar by a metal strip 00, conneeted to the lower edges of said bars 1. 3, thereby forming a space y between said bars. By forming the space y in the bar 1, as described, the frame C may be readily slid under the presser-foot of the machine into its proper place upon the bed-frame A. Rollers h L' are journaled under the bars 1. 2, which travel upon the bars A A of the frame A, the rollers a? being beveled to fit in the trackgrooves in the bar A and thereby guide the said frame in its movement upon said bedframe.

Z denote metal bracket-plates secured adjustably upon the outer faces of the crossbars 3 at. These plates each consist of a horizontal portion j, a forwardly andupwardly extending arm j and an upwardly-extending slotted arm j". The brackets j l are adj ustably secured to said bars by the set screw 7c, forming a pivot for said brackets, and a similar screw 7t, which passes through the slotted arm j, and by means of which the brackets may be held in any desired ad justment on the bars 3 4. Rollers D are journaled in the upper ends of the arms 7' and similar rollers D are journaled in the upper ends of the slotted armsf. These rollers are preferably formed of wooden cores covered with a tin or other thin metal covering, and thus prevent the rollers from becoming split or warped.

The outer or front ends of the journals of the rollers D D project slightly beyond the bracket-plates and have secured thereon disks E E, provided with recesses e e, in which are seated coiled springs m m. These springs each have one end secured to the shafts of the rollers D D, while their other ends are socured to the disks E E. The function of said disks and springs will be presently described. By reference to the drawings it will be observed that the horizontal portions j of the brackets extend slightly below the curved bars and have journaled in the inner lower edge thereof a roller D This roller forms the pressing-roller, and it is arranged to oper-.

ate just above the bed-plate of the sewingmachine. 7

F F denote adjustable bracket-plates pivoted at their forward ends to the cross-bars 3 4 by set-screws 0, their inner ends being provided with an upwardly-projecting slotted arm F through which pass set-screws 0, by means of which said plates may be adjusted in a desired position. The lower edge of the bracket F is provided with an aperture F which forms a bearing for the journal g of the roller G, the opposite journal g fitting into a slotted bearing F formed in the lower end of the bracket F. By this means the roller G, upon which the quilted material is wound after it has been sewed, may be readily detachedfrom the bearings. To hold said journal g in place and also to prevent the take-up roller Gfrom unwinding, I project said journal beyond the bracket F and provide it with a ratchet-wheel X, which is engaged by a spring-actuated arm p, se cured upon said bracket F. v

Near the plates F F and to the upper faces of the cross-bars spring-plates 1-1 H are secured, which curve outward and downward, to the lower free end of which are connected hooks Z,which are provided with ch ain-sprin gs a", which are connected at their outer ends to plates S, provided with a series of teeth S, which are adapted to hook into the quilt being operated upon and stretch it laterally.

n nare stops formed of spring-arms pivot-' ally secured to the periphery of the disks E E,.which strike against the bracket-armsj and j 3 when tension is being applied upon the springs m m and hold the said disks from turning in one direction. To the inner face of the bar 4 and at the outer. end thereof is secured a hook c, to which the free end of the cord 19 is attached.

The object of the disk B, and the spring connected therewith and connecting the disk with the traveling frame 0, is for the purpose of making a self-feed to said frame 0. It will be observed that when the frame is pulled back the spring in the disk will be wound up, and while the machine is in operation the spring is uncoiling and assists in pulling said frame 0 forward, and thereby takes at least one-fourth of the power exerted by the operator to run the machine, and thus makes the machine run lighter.

The operation of my improved quilting attachment is as follows: The base-frame A is first properly placed upon the sewing-machine table, the bar A being disposed a short distance to the right of the needle-bar, the bar A being to the left thereof. The lining or under part of the quilt is secured at one end to the rollerD and smoothly rolled thereon. The top part or cover of the quilt is secured at one end to the roller D and smoothly wound thereon. The free ends of the lining and cover are then drawn together passed under the pressing-roller D and secured to the roller G. By making the brackets in which the rollers D D D are journaled and the brackets in which the roller G is j ournaled adjustable it will be readily seen that the several rollers may be so adjusted as to accommodate the operation of said rollers on machine-tables of various makes, and also to adj ust the presser-roller D to a greater or less pressure in relation to the take-up roller G. The several rollers having been properly filled with the lining and covering, the frame 0 is then slid under the presser-foot in place upon the base-frame A. The roller G is then also properly placed. The cord 12 is hooked to the frame 0. Said frame is pulled back into place. The batting or other filling material is placed upon the lining between rollers D D, and the machine is then started, the

IIO

rollers D D in a direction reverse to the feed,

and thereby always stretch the material in direction of its length, said tension being first applied to the spring by the gradual unwinding of the material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a quilting attachment for sewing-machines, the combination, with the frame C and the takeup roller G, adj ustably j ournaled therein, of the brackets j l, adjustably secured to said frame, said brackets consisting of horizontal portions j,'extended below said frame and forming bearings for the lower roller D upwardly-extending armsj j projecting above the frame and forming bearin gs for the lining-rollerD and covering-roller D, respectively, said brackets pivoted, as at 0, and means for securing said brackets in proper adjust ment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the frame 0, of the brackets j Z, adj ustably secured to said frame, said brackets consisting of horizontal beams l 2 and the transverse beams 3 4, one of saidbeams 1 being stopped short of the cross-bar 3 and connected to said bar by a metal strip X, forming a space Y between said bars, whereby the carriage is adapted to be readily slipped under the needle-bar of the sewing-machine, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

URIAl-I E. MILLER.

Witnesses:

U. W. Bosr, ALFRED MILLER. 

